Latics have the Blues
Three goals in 11 minutes at the start of the second half changed the complexion of the game as Wigan Athletic crashed at home to Birmingham.
The home side enjoyed the better of the opening period and took a deserved lead when Charles N'Zogbia cut inside off the right-hand side and smacked a shot right into the top left-hand corner.
However, after squandering some decent chances to double their advantage just before the break, Latics were made to pay when goals from Sebastian Larsson (2) and Christian Benitez gave Birmingham a 3-1 lead going into the final quarter.
And not even a last-minute free kick from Jordi Gomez – his first goal for the club – was enough to rescue a point for Wigan.
Latics had almost got off to the perfect start when Mohamed Diame threaded a lovely ball through to Paul Scharner in only the third minute.
But, after rounding Joe Hart, the Austrian opted to try to wrap his right foot round the ball instead of slotting it home with his left and stabbed it just wide on the stretch.
There was a flashpoint on the 15-minute mark when Hugo Rodallega and Blues centre-back Roger Johnson went up for a aerial challenge, with Johnson going to ground like a sack of potatoes.
The visitors were incensed and surrounded referee Lee Probert and assistant Mo Matadar, resulkting in a yellow card for Rodallega, who continued to protest his innocence.
Johnson, in particular, was not prepared to let the matter lie and, after receiving treatment, spent much of the next five minutes throwing verbals and nasty looks at Rodallega, before clattering Scharner in his next challenge and being extremely fortunate to escape yellow himself.
Of more pressing concern for Latics was the loss of Chris Kirkland midway through the half with what looked to be a back strain.
Replacement Mike Pollitt was immediately called into the action, pulling off a point-blank stop from Christian Benitez with his first touch.
A clever dummy from Scharner then allowed N'Zogbia to feed Rodallega, who finish was high and wide.
But Latics had a firm grip of the game, and took the lead with their next attack in the 33rd minute.
Jason Scotland did ever so well to hold up a long ball with defenders around him and lay it off to N'Zogbia, who cut inside on to his left foot and drilled an unstoppable shot past Joe Hart and into the top corner.
Diame then fired just wide with his left foot, and Hart made good saves from Scharner and Rodallega as Latics pushed for a second goal just before the interval.
Birmingham threatened within seconds of the restart, an overhead kick from Cameron Jerome going straight down Pollitt's throat, and the veteran stopper made a fine diving stop to prevent a header from the striker creeping in moments later.
A thunderbolt from McFadden was then blocked by Scharner in a delicate part of his anatomy, before Scotland's rising drive at the other end beat Hart but fizzed just over.
N'Zogbia then forced Hart into a smart save at the near post, before Blues were awarded a very debatable free-kick on the hour mark – and took full advantage with the equaliser.
Larsson's left-wing set-piece was from fully 35 yards out, but the inswinging delivery evaded attackers and defenders alike and sneaked in at the far post with Pollitt helpless.
Birmingham nearly went ahead five minutes later when Jerome battled through and his shot deflected wide off Maynor Figueroa, but the warning was not heeded and within a minute Benitez raced through and slotted home off Pollitt's under-carriage.
Latics responded by throwing on Scott Sinclair for Diame, but the mountain became steeper to climb on 72 minutes when Titus Bramble found himself on the wrong side of Jerome and pulled him back, allowing Larsson the chance to curl another beautiful free-kick past Pollitt.
Hendry Thomas picked up a booking shortly after, his fifth of the campaign, before Gomez replaced Emmerson Boyce, with Scharner reverting back to centre-half.
Rodallega almost pulled one back with eight minutes remaining only for his shot to drift wide and, although Gomez did find the net in the dying seconds, Latics were unable to get back on level terms.
For match reaction and pictures, see Monday's Wigan Evening Post and Tuesday's Wigan Observer.
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Weather for Wigan
Thursday 02 September 2010
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 8 C to 22 C
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Sunny spells
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